Weft detector for looms



Nov. 25, 1924- w. H. WAKEFIELD WEFT DETECTOR FOR LOOMS Filed Jan. 1923 v llllllllllllllll .1" T Z "IE 7 Patented Nov. 25', 1924.

'tion by intermediate mechanism to the re.

UNITED STATES WALTER E. WAKEFIELD, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 CROMPTON & KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, 013 WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF -MASSACHUSETTS.

WEFT DETECTOR FOR LOOMS.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, WALTER H. WAKE- FIELD, a citizen of the United States residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have in-- vented a new and useful WeftDetector for Looms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention refers to weft detectors for weft replenishing mechanism where the detector and replenishing mechanism are both on the same side of the loom. In deteeters of this type it is necessary'to move the detector out of the path of the incoming bobbin at the time of transfer to prevent breakage. Such a detector is described and shown in the Ryon Patent #972,722 wherein is provided an actuator lever given a periodic motion and a controller pin which at indication of substantial Weft exhaustion lies under the actuator to transfer its mo= plenishing mechanism.

In certain variations of the Ryon detector the normal position of the controller is out of the path of the actuator and the po-' sition of the controller is determined by npivoted yarn engaging detector arm which is free to swing to indicating position as the detector iswithdrawn at transfer. This action serves to move the controller into .operative relation with the actuator and a second and undesirable setting of the re plenishing mechanism results.

It is the general object of my invention to provide means for preventing these sec- 0nd indications by locking the detector so as to prevent the same from having an indicating movement when being withdrawn at the time of transfer. Accordingly, my invention provides a lock for the detector which first locks the. detector against indication and thereafter withdraws the detector by action of the transfer mechanism, the lock being released and the detector restored to normal condition after the actuator has been given its periodic motion.

With these and other objects in view, my invention resides in the arrangements and comblnations described hereinafter and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein one form of the invention is shown,

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a detector to which my invention is applied,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the detector, parts being removed, 1

Fig. 3..is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the parts in a different position, and

big. 4 is a detail front elevation of the connections between the detector and controller pin, lookingin thedirection of arrow 4, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a stand 10 carried by the loomside (not shown) and having a horn 11 slotted at 12 to receive an actuator lever 13 floated on a vertically reciprocating slide 14 guided in the stand. Pivoted to the lever is a connector 15 which sets the replenishing mechanism when a controller pin 16 lies under the opposite end of-the actuator lever.

A slide 17 has fixed threto a detector 18 and pivoted thereon a detector 19 movable about screw 20. The detector 19 has a roughened yarn engaging face 21 and an arm 22 which lies between the rear ends of rods 23 and 24 in slide 17. Rod 23 is normally acted upon by resilient means to swing detector 19 away from detector 18 and rod 24, which lies fiat against the slide 17 as shown in Fig. 3, is provided with a screw 25 which is positioned to engage the bed 26 to move the pivoted detector toward detector 18 as the slide moves rearwardly.

Bed 26 in which slide 17 is guided is pivoted to the stand 10 by means of screw 27 and is limited in its downward movement under influence of spring 28 by adjusting screw 29. Slide 17 carries a finger 29 against which is exerted spring 30 guided by screw 31, the effect of spring 30 being to move the slide rearwardly and hold screw 25 against the bed to hold the pivoted detector arm in the osition shown in Fig. 2. All the matter t us far described is old and for a more complete showing reference may be made to Patents #972,722 and 1,352,536 to Ryon.

The connections between the detector and the controller pin 16 in this instance comprise the compound levers shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. A primary lever 32 is pivoted at one end as at 33' to a casting 34 secured to the stand 10 and has the other end there of in enga ement with the forward end of rod 23. spring 35 hung between the 36 is pivoted to the lever 32 as at 37 and has one end thereof in engagement with slide 17 while the other end affords :1 pi"- oted support 38 for the forward end of the controller pin 16. A compression spring 39 (weaker than spring 35) on rod 16 lies between the stand 10 and lever 36-and serves to hold the latter against a lug 40 formed on lever 32. By these means the pivots 33 and 38are normally held in alignment so that as the levers move about pivot 33 the controller pin 16 will remain at rest and o of the path of the actuator. However.

when the detector 19 is free to swing on its pivot 20 there is a relative movement 20 of the rod 23 with respect to slide 17 which throws the pivots 33 and 38 out of alignment, moving pivot 38 rearwardly and placing controller pin 16 under the actuator. A further description of such a connection 25 between the detector and controller pin will be found in application for patent filed Jan. 5,}923, by R. G. Turner, and bearing Serial Number 610,747. When a detector of the type shown herein is used on the same end of the loom with the replenishing mechanism, it is necessary to withdraw the detector from the path of the incoming bobbin at the time of transfer. In detectors of the general type disclosed herein, withdrawal of the detector is effected by engagement of a part of the transferring mechanism by a part of the slide carrying the detectors. This permits the pivoted detector to swing which results in moving the controller under the actuator and continued forward motion of the slide leaves the controller in operative relation with the actuator. The result of this is an undesirable repetition of the indication of weft exhaustion.

To prevent this second operation of the controlling mechanism for the replenishing devices, means are provided for preventing'the pivoted detector from swingingon the transferring beat of the loom. Accordingly, there is pivoted to the slide as at 50 a latch 51 having a portion 52 positioned for engagement with a stud 53 car ried by the transferrer mechanism 53. This stud is of the usual construction and is moved forward at the time of transfer from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that showing Fig. 3. Y

The atch 51 has an abutting portion 54 and a corresponding boss 55 is formed on rod 24 opposite the ortion 54 on the latch. As the stud moves orward it engagesthe latch and swings the same about its pivot 50 to p therod 23 between the portion 54 an the boss 55 on rod 24. The latter is in turn forced against the adjacent wall of the slide and thereafter the whole slide with its movable parts moves forward as a unit with the detector 19 and rod 23 re strained against movement relative to the slide. The controller pin is therefore kept out of the path of the actuator as on a non-indicating beat of the loom and the objectionable repetition of the indication is prevented. As the stud 53 moves rearwardly' after transfer the pressure between the parts is relieved and rod 23 is again free to move under influence of spring v35. A shoulder 56 formedon the bed 26 limits angular motion of the latch.

It will be evident that changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the claim, and I do not wish .to be otherwise limited to the details herein disclosed but what I claim is 1. In a weft detector for weft replenish- 1ng looms, transfer mechanism, a detector having yarn engaging parts movable relatively to each other to indicate Weft exhaustion, and means operative by said transfer mechanism to move said detector bodily and prevent relative motion of the detector parts on the transfering beat'of the loom.

2. In a weft detector to cooperate with the shuttle of a weft replenishing loom, transfer mechanism, a detector having yarn engaging parts movable apart when moved away from the shuttle to indicate weft exhaustion, and means operative by the transfer mechanism to prevent the parts from moving apart and to thereafter move the detector away from the shuttle.

3. In a weft detector to cooperate with the shuttle of a weft replenishing loom, transfer mechanism, a slide movable away from the shuttle, a weft detector carried by and movable with respect to the slide, and means operable by the transfer mechanism to move the slide and detector away from the shuttle without relative motion with respect to each other.

4. In a weft detector for Weft replenishing looms, an actuator for the replenishing mechanism, a controller for said actuator, transfer mechanism, a detector having relatively movable parts to establish operative relations between the controller and actuator when the parts move relatively to each other, and means operable by the transfer mechanism to hold the parts of the detector 1 against relative movement at the time of 1 transfer.

5. In a, weft detector for weft replenishing looms, an actuator for the replenishing mechanism, a controller for said actuator,

tively movable parts to establish 0 erative relations between the controller'an actuator when the parts move relatively to each transfer mechanism. a detector having rela- Leis other, and means to hold the parts of the detector against relative movement at the time of transfer.

6. In a weft detector for weft replenish ing looms an actuator for the replenishing mechanism, transfer mechanism, a controller for the actuator normally out of operative relation with respect to the actuator, a de tector to move said controller into operative relation with respect to the actuator at substantial weft exhaustion, means operable by the transfer mechanism to move said detector, and meansto maintain the operative relation between the detector and controller and actuator unchanged as the detector is moved by the transfer mechanism.

7. In a weft detector for looms, transfer mechanism, a pair of detecting elements held together when in normal position and tending to separate when moved forwardly, said elements when separated being operative to indicate weft exhaustion in all positions forward of the normal position thereof, and means actuated by the transfer mechanism to prevent separation of said elements when the latter move forwardly on a transferring beat of the loom.

8. In a weft detector for looms, transfer mechanism, a detector element movable toward and from the surface to be detected, a second detector element having pivotal con-' nection with the firstnamed element, means tending to swing the second named element means,

tion of the second named element and to move both of said elements forwardly on a transferring beat of the loom.

9. In a weft detector for weft replenishing looms, transfer mechanism, aslide movable toward and from the surface to be detected, a pair of relatively movable detectors on the slide, and a latch pivoted to the slide, said transfer mechanism effective to engage the latch to'move' the latter with respect to the slide to prevent relative motion of said detectors on the transferring beat of the loom.

10. In a weft detector for weft replenishing looms, transfer mechanism, a slide movable toward and from the surface to be detected, a detector pivotally mounted on said slide, actuating means to move said detector on the pivot thereof, and a latch pivoted to the slide and having a portion thereof positioned to engage said actuating said latchbeing engaged by the transfer mechanism on the transferring beat of the loom and moved to engage said actuating means to prevent the latter from moving the detector.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

WALTER I-I. WAKEFIELD. 

